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How to Play a Right To Play Game

Game: Crossing the Bridges

Purpose: Participants will know three different ways to protect themselves from HIV infection and be more able to stay healthy.

Equipment: A piece of cloth, crocodile cut-outs; 6-foot stick (1 inch think) marked white on one half and blue on the other; a 6-foot stick painted yellow.

Background: Participants try to cross a narrow bridge (a long thick stick on the ground) over crocodile infested waters. For those who fall off, a second bridge is added later, enabling them to cross safely.

This quick and fun exercise creates a real, physical experience of how to protect oneself from HIV/AIDS.  It gets everyone involved and starts them thinking about their options for steering clear of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

New Right To Play Coaches in Rwanda
learn how to play the Crossing the Bridges
Game in as part of their Coach Training

Instructions: Lay down the cloth. Lay the white and blue stick across the length of the cloth.  Put the crocodiles on both sides of the stick. Describe the situation saying: Imagine this area is a big river with hungry crocodiles and other dangerous creatures in it.  Your future awaits you at the far end.  You have to cross the river using this bridge. You must put one foot in front of the other so that the heel of your front foot touches the toe of your back foot.  Invite participants to try crossing the bridge, heel to toe all the way from the white end to the blue end. When someone succeeds, have everyone clap and cheer. After everyone has had a turn, congratulate those who got across safely.  For those people who fell off the bridge, assure them that you'll be adding another bridge to help them get across safely. Lay the yellow stick on the ground about a foot apart from the other sick. Explain that with the yellow bridge in place, participants can try to cross the white and blue bridge again. If they need to, they can use the yellow bridge as support to get across safely. Demonstrate this yourself.  Invite everyone to cross using the second bridge for support. They should all succeed now. If anyone falls off again, let them have another try until they can do it. When each person gets across, have everyone celebrate.

Discussion points:

Use the following questions to lead a discussion after the exercise.

1. Symbols: What do the crocodiles and other hidden creatures represent?

   HIV/AIDS is the answer. They also represent other sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhoea and syphilis. The crocodiles are dangers you can see. HIV is more like one of the hidden creatures in the water - you cannot see it and it can bite you without knowing. What do you think this activity has to do with stigma and discrimination based on HIV/AIDS?

2. What do the bridges represent?

   The bridges are ways to avoid HIV/AIDS in order to go through life safely.

3. What does the white and blue stick represent?

   White stands for abstinence, no sex or delaying sex.  Blue represents faithfulness - having sex only with one faithful partner who is not infected by HIV/AIDS. We started out on abstinence, and then moved onto faithfulness in a long-term, committed relationship.

4. What does the yellow stick represent?

   The yellow bridge represents using a condom. Not everyone can stay on the abstinence or faithfulness bridge all the time. Condoms help people from falling in the water when they fall off the first bridge. The yellow bridge can also represent support from peers, parents and others.

5. What helped you cross safely? How does this relate to real life?

   Encouragement and support from others. For example, it helps if someone else holds your hand as you cross the bridge.

   It also helps to focus on the bridge and where you want to end up. If you focus on the problems in life, like the water and the crocodiles, you are more likely to fall in.

   Having two bridges makes it easier to cross safely. If you make use of the different choices, you are more able to stay out of the water.

Variation: Crossing the Bridges Game can be played with stones as a simple variation, instead of using blanket and a stick. Crossing the Bridges Game was developed thanks to the CORE Initiative. Photos from Right To Play activities in Kigali, Rwanda.

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